Fluid diffusing device



March 26, 1963 J V- SEMPLE FLUID DIFFUSING DEVICE Filed 001:. 30, 1961 IN VENTOR.

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3,032,957 FLUID DIFFUSHNG DEVICE Jason V. Semple, Glendale, Calif., assigner to Rain Jet Corporation, Burbank, Calif., a corporation of California Y Filed Oct. 3), 1961, Ser. No. 148,593

Claims. (Cl. 239-206) This invention relates generally to fluid diffusing devices and particularly to means for effecting aeration and break-up of water around a distributor of a fluid discharging device.

For purposes of convenience in describing the details of construction and mode of operation `of the improvement which constitutes this invention, I have chosen to refer to the ornamental fountain of'patent application Serial No. 113,538, filed May 29, 1961, by John O. Hruby, Jr. The fountain device of that patent application comprises a rotary stem having a water distributor head, the undersurface of which is conical to deflect the water outwardly which flows upwardly around the stem. The instant invention provides a Water diffuser in the form of a helical spring encircling the stem, and serves to break-up and aerate the water flowing upwardly around the stem.

The improvement of this invention also functions t0 prevent a conical head of the stem of a Huid-discharging device of the above-mentioned character and which stern is movable vertically in the fluid supply pipe, from seating and sticking within the discharge opening of the supply pipe.

Though the invention is herein described with reference to an ornamental fountain, I desire to have it understood that the invention is usable and advantageous when embodied in other water discharging devices, such as, for example, in a lawn sprinkler of the type illustrated and described in United States Patent No. 2,639,191.

In the accompanying drawing:

FiG. 1 is a central vertical section through an ornamental fountain according to the above-identified patent application Serial No. 113,538, the same being equipped with a coil spring of this invention; and,

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

The device shown in the drawing, for purposes of illustrating this invention, is one for producing an ornamental fountain of distinct tiers of water sprays, the device being designated generally by reference numeral 1i), and being mounted atop a water supply riser or pipe 11.

Fountain device comprises a hollow body 13 extending axially into lthe upper end of the riser 11, and a nipple 14 for securing the body upon the riser. The body 13 comprises a rigid tube 15 and a collar or nut 16 around the upper end of the tube, the tube being forcefitted or otherwise suitably secured in the collar. The collar is screw-threaded at 17 for securing the body in the nipple, the nipple being internally screw-threaded at 18 for mounting the fountain device on the riser. The body tube is of smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of the riser to provide an annular space 20 around the body tube.

Numeral 22 designates the inside cylindrical surface of the body tube 15, such inside surface defining a body cavity or bore 23. A water discharge opening 25 in the upper end of the body is defined by a bearing tube 26 which is force-fitted in the upper end portion of lthe tube 15. A bearing tube 27 is force-fitted in the lower end of the bod-y tube, the bearing tube 27 having a cylindrical bore 28 extending axially therethrough. The lower end face of the bearing tube 27 defines the lower end face 29 of the body 13. The bearings 26 and 27 are shown as being formed of laminated phenolic composition.

3,8Z,957 Patented Mar. 26, 1963 Formed in the side walls of the body tube 15 is a plurality of apertures 32 for admitting water into the body cavity from the riser pipe. These apertures are formed as narrow slits which extend longitudinally of the body 13. There are two such slits in the illustrated embodiment, they being diametrically opposed. These slits extend `thro-ugh the wall of the t-ube 15 at an angle with respect to the radii of the body cavity, 23, thereby to `cause water in the body cavity to spiral around and upwardly in the body cavity and out through the discharge opening 25.

The rotary and jet producing member of the fountain device is designated generally by reference numeral 34. It comprises a tubular stem 35, a head 36 on the upper end of the stem, and a collar 37 on the lower end of .the stern. The stem is arranged longitudinally in the body cavity 23 and extends upwardly through the discharge opening 25 and downwardly through the lower end opening 28 of the body. The stem is substantially smaller in outside diameter than the discharge opening 25. The lower end opening 28 of the body is only slightly larger in diameter than the stem, enough so that the lower end opening will accommodate rotation of the stem on its longitudinal axis and sufficient inclination of the stem with respect to the axis of the body cavity to permit engagement of the stem with the upper end of the inside wall surface 39 which defines the discharge opening 25.

The rotary-member 34 of the illustrated embodiment may be movable axially in the body 13 because of the force of water flowing through the body. The collar 37 limits th-e extent of upward movement of the rotary memf ber through engagement of the collar against the lower annular end surface 29 of the body 13. The collar 37 of the illustrated embodiment is secured upon the lower end of the stem by means of a set screw 41. Numeral 43 designates the axially extending passage or bore of the stem, open at its lower end as an inlet opening 44 for reception of water from the riser 11. The head 36 has a plurality of orifices, to be described in detail later, some of which serve as outlet passages from the stem for pro-l ducing certain of the jets of the water fountain.

As thus far described, the fountain device 10 is similar to the lawn sprinklers of U.S. Patent No. 2,639,191. A review of the explanation of the mode of operation ofthe sprinklers of said patent will make it clear that for the fountain device of the instant invention, the swirl of water around and upwardly in the body cavity 23, because of the slant of the water inlet apertures 32, will cause the rotary member 34 to gyrate around in the body with the axis of the stem being inclined with respect to the axis of the body cavity 23. In being so gyrated, .the stem 35 contacts the surfaces which define the discharge opening 25 and the lower end opening 28 of the body whereby the stem rolls along these surfaces and thus rotates on its axis.

It is .the structure of the head 36 of the rotary member which makes the device 1() a fountain producing device instead of a lawn sprinkler. The head 36 of the illustrated embodiment is form-ed of plastics material and comprises a conical portion 47, a central insert 48, radially extending dividers 49, and an outside skirt 51. The central portion 47 is an axial alignment with the stem and has a cavity 53 which is open to upper end opening 54 of the stem bore 43. The insert 48 has a plurality of orifices or passages formed therein, these being a centrally disposed orifice 56 and a circumaxially extending series of orifices 57. The central orice 56 is inclined slightly with respect to the axis of the stem so that the outlet end opening thereof is eccentric of the axis of the stem and head. The passages 57 are also outwardly inclined. The central orice 56 spouts a jet which forms a central spire of the water fountain, and the orifices 57 form an intermediate spray or tier of the water fountain.

A lower tier ofthe water fountain is constituted of jets gf water originating from water which Ypasses around the stem 35 and from -the .discharge` opening 25. The outside surface 59 of the central portion y47 of the head is conical, the lower end part 60 thereof preferably being rounded. The water from the discharge opening 25 flows upwardly along the outside conical surface 59 and is separated by the dividers 49 to produce the jets of water which `form the lower tier of the water fountain.

The improvement which constitutes this invention is the provision o f a helical spring 65 encircling the stem 35 adjacent the lower end 60 of the conical port 47 of head 36. The helix or coil 65 is originally cylindrical and is formed to an annulus as by soldering the ends of its `spring wire together at 66. VSuch annular helical spring is preferably formed to an inside diameter smaller than the outside di-I ameter of -the stern 3,5 so that when placed in encircling position around the stem, the spring will be under tension remaining positioned adjacent the head por-tion 47.

It will be noted that the individual coils of helical spring 65 are larger in diameter than the space of discharge opening 25iaround-.the stern 35, whereby the spring prevents dropping of the rotary member 34 into the body 13 to a position where the conical head portion 47 might otherwise become tightly seated within the upper end of the bearing26. Y

The primary function and advantage of the helical spring .65 is that it breaks up the stream of `water owing upwardly from discharge opening 25 -and upwardly along the lconical surface 59 of the stem head. When the :spring 65 is installed on a device of the illustrated type for producing an ornamental fountain, it will be found that the spray of water from around the conical surface 59 `and broken by the dividers 49 will be white or milky in appearance as compared with the clearer jets of droplets from the orifices 57 and of the central spire from orifice 56, --thereby creating au interesting contrast between the distinct sprays of the fountain. 'Y

When the coiled spring 65 is fitted around the Astern of a lawn sprinkler of the aime-mentioned patent, vfor ex` ample, the spring will serve to aerate and break-up water from the discharge opening yof the sprinkler, thereby to increase the even water distribution characteristics of such lawn sprinklers. v

VWhile this invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the `scope of .the invention, whichis not to be Alimited to the details disclosed herein lbut is to be accordedthe full scope ofthe claimsso as 4to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having vthus described my invention what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

4 il. ln afluid diffusing device vvof the class wherein a stem projects out through a uid discharging opening of a uid supply pipe, the Istern having la fluid deliecting vhead beyond Opening, the head having an annular surface aring outwardly with'respect to the axis o f the stern from g smaller end of said annular surface proximate said opening to a larger end of said surface remote said opening, the combination with said stern of a torus of a coil encircling the stem adjacent the smaller end of said head for breaking up Vand aerating uid discharged through said opening around the s-tem.

2. In-a uid diffusing device of the class wherein a stern projects upwardly through a iiuid discharging opening of a vertically extending uid supply pipe, the stem having a fluid deecting head disposed above said opening, said head having an .inverted conical surface the smaller end of which is proximate said opening and the larger end of which is `remote said opening, the larger end of the head being larger in diameter than said opening, the combination with said ,stem of a helical spring, the axis of the coils of said lspring being annular and encircling the stem adjacent the smaller en-d 'of said head, and the spring heing under circumferential tension around the stem.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which said stem is movable vertically in said `opening and the diameter of the spring coils is greater than the annular space of said opening around the stem, whereby the stern is prevented by said spring from dropping down through said opening to a position Where said head would otherwise seat within said opening.

4. A water diffusing device comprising a vertically extending water supply pipe having a water discharge opening at its upper end, a stem smaller than said opening and extending downwardly therethrough, means responsive to iiow of water in said pipe for rotating said stem about a. vertical axis, a head on said stem above said opening, the undersurfaceof said head sloping upwardly and outwardly from said stem to deflect Water issuing from said opening, and a torus o-f a helical spring encircling the stern adjacent said head for break-up land aeration of said issuing water.

5. An ornamental fountain comprising a vertically extending water supply pipe having a water discharge opening at its upper end, a Vtubular stem smaller than said opening and extending downwardly therethrough, means responsive to flow of water in said pipe for rotating said stem about a vertical axis Vand for gyratng the stem by rollingaround the periphery of said discharge opening, the stern havinga Water inlet opening at its lower end, a head on said stem labove said dischange opening, the head having an outlet orice for discharge of water from the stem, the undersurfaceof the head sloping upwardly and outwardly from said stern to deiiect water issuing from said discharge opening, and a torus of a helical spring encircling the stem adjacent said head Vfor break-up and aeration of water issuing from said discharge opening.

References Citedin the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Jernison et al. July 28, 1959 

1. IN A FLUID DIFFUSING DEVICE OF THE CLASS WHEREIN A STEM PROJECTS OUT THROUGH A FLUID DISCHARGING OPENING OF A FLUID SUPPLY PIPE, THE STEM HAVING A FLUID DEFLECTING HEAD BEYOND SAID OPENING, THE HEAD HAVING AN ANNULAR SURFACE FLARING OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF THE STEM FROM A SMALLER END OF SAID ANNULAR SURFACE PROXIMATE SAID OPENING TO A LARGER END OF SAID SURFACE REMOTE SAID OPENING, THE COMBINATION WITH SAID STEM OF A TORUS OF A COIL ENCIRCLING THE STEM ADJACENT THE SMALLER END OF SAID HEAD FOR 